Electrical connector



Sept. 4, 1962 J. ROGOFF ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed NOV. 12, 1958 INVENTOR. Julian Rogoff United States 3,952,867 Patented Sept. 4, 1962 3,052,867 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Julian Rogotf, New Rochelle, N.Y., assignor to Burndy Corporation, a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 12, 1958, Ser. No. 773,314

2 Claims. (Cl. 339-217) relates to electrical connectors of the mating plug and receptacle type having pin and socket connectors, and more particularly, to electrical connectors having multiple pin and socket contacts which are removable from mating plugs and receptacles.

The advantages of electrical connectors of a mating plug and receptacle type having multiple pin and socket contacts are obvious, but the prior art connectors have not been completely satisfactory because This invention the known structures have often required a large number of different components to be manufactured by relatively expensive methods. The contacts, once assembled in the respective plugs and receptacles, could not be removed, nor could they be interchanged. Usually, these prior art contacts required a solder operation to be performed in a ditficult location under poor conditions in order to join the electrical conductor to the contact. Moreover, it is desirable that the socket contacts prevent deformity of the socket during the pin contact or to prevent the insertion pin contac One of the objects of this invention is to provide a novel contact assembly structure for use in electrical connectors of the mating plug and receptacle type.

Another object of this invention is to provide a closed end socket contact assembly structure which is easy to insert and readily removable from the supporting plug or receptacle.

A further object of this invention is to provide a socket contact member removable from its supporting receptacle and capable of retaining the mating pin in the socket to ensure good electrical contact between the cooperating contact members.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an electrical contact structure which is removable from its insulated housing and capable of being readily and inexpensively manufactured from a minimum number of parts.

One of the features of this invention is the provision of a multiple contact plug and contact for a receptacle type electrical connector wherein the housing portions may be of identical design each having a plurality of bores therethrough into which are removably disposed mating pin and socket contacts. In one embodiment of my invention the socket contacts have a tubular body portion about which is disposed a retaining spring which locks the contact to the housing. The body of each socket contact has an opening therein in which is disposed a hearing member retained in position by the locking spring. The bearing member ensures good electrical connection to the mating pin contact inserted into the bore of the socket contact.

These and other features and objects of my invention will become more apparent by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view in cross section of an electrical connector disposed within a supporting receptacle in accordance with the principles of my invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view in cross section of a socket contact of my invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial cross section of the socket contact the insertion of of an oversize of my invention shown with a mating pin contact inserted therein; and

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along the lines 5-5 of FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing, an electrical contact in accordance with the principles of my invention mounted in a supporting receptacle is therein shown to comprise a socket contact disposed within an insulating housing 12. The insulating housing or receptacle 12 has a bore 14 therethrough. The bore 14 includes a portion of restricted diameter 16 forming front locking shoulder 18 and rear locking shoulder 20. Contained within the bore 14 is the socket contact assembly 10.

The socket contact assembly 10 includes the electrical socket contact portion 22, and its associated retaining spring 24. The electrical socket contact 22 has a mating contact receiving portion 26,

a barrel portion 28, and wire receiving portion 34 and a wire insulation ferrule 32. Toward the front of the barrel portion 28 is a circumferential slot or peripheral recess 34 in which is mounted the retaining spring 24. A rear shoulder 36 is formed between the wire receiving portion 30 and the barrel portion 28. The barrel portion 28 is of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the restricted portion 16 of the bore 14 in order to provide the proper floa for the electrical contact when properly seated in receptacle 12. An inspection or peephole 38 is provided in the wire receiving portion 30 behind the shoulder 36.

The spring retainer assembly 24 comprises a retaining spring of substantially tubular shape composed of a spring metal such as beryllium copper and disposed with the peripheral recess 34 on the barrel 28. One end 40 of the tubular retaining spring 24 upstands from the barrel 28 to form a front locking shoulder 50 which cooperates with the front locking shoulder 18 of the receptacle 12. Within the peripheral recess 34 of the socket contact 10 is an opening 52. A bearing member 54 is located within the opening 52 and retained in place by the spring member 24 which is wrapped around the barrel 28 in the peripheral recess 34.

In use, an insulated wire 42 has a portion of its conductor bared and received within the wire receiving portion '30 of the electrical contact 10. To ensure proper insertion the peephole 38 is utilized to inspect this portion of the bared wire. A crimp or indentation 44 is then made to mechanically fasten electrical contact 10 to the bared wire. This crimp ensures both electrical and mechanical contact between the electrical contact 10 and the wire.

In a similar manner the insulation ferrule 32 may bi indented or crimped to the insulation of the conductor After the socket contact 10 is assembled to the insulate wire, the contact and wire assembly is inserted into th receptacle housing 12. During insertion, the cam sul face 46 of the spring assembly is depressed during i movement through the restricted portion 16 of the b0] 14. As the spring assembly passes in front of the fro] locking shoulder 18, the upstanding end 40 of the sprir assembly 24 is released and engages the front lOCklJ shoulder 18 of the bore 16 preventing the withdrawal the electrical contact assembly 10 from the receptacle.

In order to remove the socket 10 from the insulati housing 12, a simple rod-like tool having a hollow pr tion is utilized. The tool is slipped over the front of 1 socket contact 10, and its edge is caused to ride up 1 camrning surface 46 of the spring 24. The inner dia eter of the tool is approximately equal to the diameter the restricted portion 16 of the bore 14 of the hous 12 and so causes the spring locking edge 50 to diseng 70 shoulder 18. When the spring is compressed mm the use of such a simple tool, a slight backward a on the conductor will cause the contact to be withdrawn through the restricted portion of the housing.

pm against the socket Wall.

As will be readily recognized by those skilled in the art, the front end of the socket contact of my invention is nany that can hese results.

I claim:

cluding a con oulder; comprising a metallic contact inductor receiving portion and a mating contact receiving tubular portion; a hole through the Wall tubular portion and adjacent said hole, said spring means posed in said said hole agai means, and i of said tube.

2. An electri a housuig of i ecting means rrg bore shoulder; a member movably dis hole; said member extending in part out of nst, and biased by, said radially projecting 11 part out of said hole towards the center ternal shoulder whereby the insertion of a plug connector in said socket urges said bearing against said spring means to engage said internal shoulder to prevent the Withdrawal of said socket from said bore and said bearing urges said plug contact against the Wall of said socket.

Refer ences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Douglas Oct. 31, 1939 Kraut Sept. 10, 1940 Quackenbush Apr. 14, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Aug. 22, 1939 France Mar. 12, 1952 France Mar. 24, 1958 

